Cigarette package



June 8, 1943. B. J. TAMARIN 2,321,112

CIGARETTE PACKAGE Filed May 26, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 8, 1943. B. J. TAMARIN CIGARETTE PACKAGE Filed May 26, 1939 s Sheets-Sheet 2 June 8, 1943. B. J. TAMARIN 2,321,112

CIGARETTE PACKAGE Filed May 26, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Inventor fiernardJTamaz z'm ittorngy Patented June 8, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,321,112 CIGARETTE PACKAGE Bernard J. Tamarin, Philadelphia, Pa.

Application May 26, 1939, Serial No. 275,855

1 Claim.

The invention generally relates to cigarette packages and, more particularly, pertains to improvements in the type of package shown and described in my previous Patent No. 2,129,887 issued under date of September 13, 1938.

The present invention primarily aims to provide a cigarette package enclosed in an outer protective wrapper, such as a Cellophane jacket, and having a combination package opener and cigarette ejector of the general description set forth in my previous patent aforesaid, the outer wrapper or Cellophane jacket being associated with the package and its opener and cigarette ejector in a characteristic manner, whereby said wrapper or jacket may be positively opened simultaneously with the unsealing of the package through the continuous action of the opener and cigarette ejector.

It is a most important object of the invention to provide a cigarette package enclosed in an outer wrapper or Cellophane jacket and having a package opener so associated with said wrapper or jacket and the package that the destruction of the Government tax stamp, usually sealing the package, is assured immediately upon opening the Cellophane jacket.

It is a recognized fact that the Internal Revenue Department faces large yearly losses due to the unscrupulous reclaiming and reuse of unbroken tax stamps. Unfortunately, the innocent habit of a large percentage of cigarette smokers of tearing only a corner from the package when opening a new supply of cigarettes contributes mostly to such an unlawful practice. Consequently, a meritorious feature of the invention resides in the particular association of the cigarette package and its outer wrapper or Cellophane jacket and opener, whereby the positive destruction of the stamp accompanies the opening of the outer wrapper or Cellophane jacket, accordingly assuring full compliance by the' user, without any conscientious effort on his part, with the law which requires that the tax stamp be destroyed upon removing the contents of the package.

It is also among the meritorious features of the invention to provide a cigarette package of the kind referred to and having an outer wrapper or Cellophane jacket so associated therewith that the opening of said wrapper or jacket is facilitated, the opening of such wrapper or jacket, moreover, being feasible without materially destroying the engagement of the wrapper or jacket with the package itself so that the wrapper or jacket may remain in its position on the package to continue its protective action throughout the full period of use of the latter.

The invention is also characterized by the fact that an outer wrapper or Cellophane jacket placed about a cigarette package may be more securely sealed than has heretofore been possible because, according to the invention, none of the folds or flaps of said wrapper or jacket serve as a means of entry into the package, and therefore the invention permits the full utilization of the intended protective action of the outer wrapper or jacket against atmospheric changes or conditions which may affect the quality of the cigarettes within the package.

In counterdistinction to the usual practice followed in the art, to fold the closing flaps of the outer wrapper or Cellophane protective jacket so that said flaps parallel the opening end portion of the package, the invention is characterized by the fact that a single continuous portion of such wrapper or jacket overlies or passes over and completely covers the entire surface of the opening end of the package, accordingly providing the latter with a smooth unitary top surface, the closing flaps of the wrapper or jacket preferably laying over the normal bottom or closed end of the package.

Other important objects and advantages of the invention will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

I In order that the invention and its mode of operation may be readily understood by those skilled in the art, I have, in the accompanying drawings and in the detailed description based thereupon, set out possible embodiments of the invention.

In these drawings:

Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 are perspective views respectively illustrating the successive steps in associating the outer protective cover with the cigarette package according to the invention.

Figure 5 is a plan of the bottom portion of the package constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the top portion of the package.

Figure 7 is a side elevation of the same.

Figure 8 is a perspective view showing a mode of opening the package. a

Figure 9 is a perspective view showing the action of the package opener in simultaneously opening the outer covering and tearing the stamp.

Figure 10 is a perspective view illustrating the action of the combination opener and ejector in ejecting certain cigarettes and opening the package.

Figure 11 is a sectional detail of the opened package and partly ejected cigarettes.

Figure 12 is a perspective view illustrating a modified form of the outer wrapper being associated with the cigarette package.

Figure 13 is a perspective view illustrating the top portion (if a finished package of the type shown in Figure 12.

Figure 14 is a view similar to Figure 13 illustrating the initial step of opening the same.

Figure 15 is a longitudinal section through the package illustrating the construction thereof in accordance with the invention.

Figures 16 and 17 are views similar to Figure 15, illustrating the combination opener and ejector at various stages of its operation.

Figure 18 is a detail illustrating a possible way of sealing the package opening slit portion.

Having more particular reference to the drawings, wherein like characters of reference will designate corresponding parts throughout, there is shown a cigarette package 20 which, insofar as its construction is concerned may be, and pref erably is, of the type now commonlyin use in the trade. The top or opening end portion of the package consists of overlapping folded end flaps 22, and side flaps 24 sealed by means of a Government tax stamp 26. The package 20, however, is provided with a combination package opener and cigarette ejector which consists of a length of suitable material, preferably a strip of Cellophane 28.

Of preference, the strip 28 is associated with the package and the cigarettes C therein in substantially the same manner as shown and described in my previous Patent No. 2,129,887, that is, the strip is disposed within the package in a convoluted path; one extremity of the strip 28 forms a securing tab which, of preference, is glued or otherwise affixed to one of the end flaps 22. and extends inwardly of the package around one or more cigarettes C to form a loop portion b and projects outwardly of the package over the remaining end flap 2e. The part of the loop portion b engaging the inner extremity of the cigarette or cigarettes C constitutes an ejector element 0 adapted to eject said cigarette or cigarettes in engagement therewith, in the manner and forthe purpose to be later specified.

With the strip 28 arranged in the package in the manner described, the free end section of said strip passes between the overlapped side flaps 24 and the stamp 26 to constitute an opening element '11 terminating into a. finger tab e projecting outwardly of the package 20 and lying contiguous with the opening end portion of the latter.

In accordance with the invention. the package 20 and associated opener and ejector is enclosed in an outer protective wrapper, such as a Cellophane jacket. The manner of associating the Cellophane jacket with the cigarette package will be clearly apparent from consideration of Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4. As shown in Figure 1, a

sheet 30 (preferably a sheet of Cellophane) of dimensions slightly greater than those of the package, is positioned to cover the normal upper or opening end portion and opposite faces of the package, said normal upper or opening end portion being placed in engagement with the medial portion 33 of said sheet so that the opposite end portions 34 and side portions 36 of the latter project beyond the bottom and sides of the package. Then, as shown in Figure 2, the projected side portions 36 of the sheet 30 are folded in overlapping relation over the adjacent sides of the package, a suitable adhesive being applied to the folds for adherence to each other. Then, as repre- The strip then passes over said end flaps sented in Figure 3, the overlapped side portions extending beyond the bottom of the package are folded over the latter which causes the projected end portions 34 of the sheet to assume the flap formation, as clearly shown in Figure 3. Such flaps are thereafter folded in overlapping relation over the bottom of the package, as indicated in Figure 4, a suitable adhesive being also applied to seal the wrapper or jacket.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that the normal top of the package presents a smooth unitary surface since the same is covered with a single continuous portion of the outer wrapper or Cellophane jacket, as will more clearly appear from Figure 6.

As will also appear from Figure 6, one side portion of the wrapper or Cellophane jacket, that is, the side portion adjacent the free end of the strip 28, is slit, for instance, as at 38, to define a tongue 40 disposed in close proximity to the top or opening end portion of the package.

In practice, it may be found desirable to seal the slit 3B defining the tongue 40 in order to pre-' vent moisture from penetrating into the jacketed package. A possible way of accomplishing this is shown in Figure 18 wherein is illustrated a border 44 of suitable adhesive which may be applied to the side of the package 20 before the application of the wrapper or jacket sheet 30, said border being located to surround the slit portion, thus isolating the same.

When opening a package having the construction hereinbefore described, said package may be held in one'hand, as represented in Figure 8. The tip of the thumb of the hand holding the package may then be inserted in the slit 38 and the tongue 40 flipped, thereby exposing the free end tab e of the strip 28, which may then be grasped between the thumb and forefinger of the other hand.

Thus, by exerting an upward and outward pull on the strip 28, substantially as shown in Figures 9 and 16, the opening element d of said strip 28 will rip the portion of the outer wrapper or Cellophane jacket lying thereover and, simultaneously therewith, tear the stamp 26, accordingly destroying the same. With a continued outward pull on the strip 28, that is, in the general direction indicated by the arrow A in Figures 10 and 1'7, the cigarettes C in engagement with the loop portion 0 of the strip, will cause said cigarettes to lift the overlapping side flaps 24 and emerge from the package.

It is to be noted that the portion of the outer wrapper or cellophane jacket ripped oil the package is of a width substantially equal to the width of the strip 28 which, in practice, is considerably less than the thickness of the package. Accordingly, portions 42 of the outer wrapper or Cellophane jacket remain in engagement with the top of the package and thus retain said wrapper or jacket in position, with the result that the package protective feature persists throughout the subsequent use of the package.

In Figures 12, 13, and 14, there is shown a slightly modified form of the invention. According to this form of the invention, a sheet 30a of Cellophane or like material is also wrapped about the package 20 but, in this instance, for normal bottom of the package is placed in engagement with an intermediate portion 33a of said sheet, one end portion 34a of which is positioned in substantial alignment with the top edge of the package, the diametrically opposite end portion 34b of the sheet extending well beyond said top edge of the package. The sheet 30a is then folded about the top of the package to bring the end portion 34b over the end portion 34a to which said end portion 34b is afiixed by means of a suitable adhesive, and the free side portions 36a of the sheet are folded and mutually fixed by means of a suitable adhesive, in overlapping relation over the sides of the package, in the manner shown in Figure 13.

From the foregoing, it will be understood that the modified form of package also presents a smooth unitary top surface, since the package top is covered with a continuous p'ortion of the covering sheet. The end portion Nb of the sheet is preferably formed with a tongue-like extension 40a at a point to correspond with that of the package top over which the free end tab e of the opening and ejecting strip 28 lies.

In opening the modified type of package, the tongue-like extension 40a is lifted off the package, as represented in Figure 14, thus removing a sufllcient part of the covering sheet to expose the free end tab e of the strip 28 which may then be grasped and pulled in the same manner as explained in reference to Figures 9 and 16 and 10 and 1'7. to rip the outer wrapper and, simultaneously therewith, tear and destroy the stamp 26.

It is pointed out that, if so desired, the portion of the outer wrapper laying immediately over the strip 28 on the top oi the package may be scored as indicated at ll in Figure 14, to guide the strip in its opening action.

Attention is called to the fact that the association of the opening and ejecting strip 28 offers a convenient medium for advertising because, it will be appreciated, suitable matter may be printed on the strip, for instance, as indicated at 42 in Figure 10, which printed matter will be exposed to view as the package is opened and the cigarettes ejected.

Whereas a package provided with a single outer wrapper or Cellophane jacket has .ben described, it is to be understood that more than one such wrapper or jacket may be used, for I have found that theopening action of the strip 28 is not impeded if more than one wrapper or jacket is placed on the package.

From the foregoing description of the invention, it will be appreciated that I have provided a simple, yet effective, means to assure the positive destruction of a tax stamp applied in a customary manner to a cigarette package. The destruction of the stamp is particularly assured because of the characteristic association of the outer wraper or Cellophane Jacket and opening strip with the package. Since the outer wrapper or Cellophane jacket is so placed on the package as to form a smooth, unitary surface over the top or opening end portion of the package, the easy opening of the package requires the use of the strip, the function of which, due to its association with said wrapper or jacket and the package, necessitates the tearing of the stamp simultaneously with the openingof the latter.

In concluding, I wish it to be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular construction of the package herein shown and described, but any modification coming within the scope of the subjoined claim is to be considered within the spirit of the invention.

What I claim is:

In combination with a cigarette package provided with an opening end portion and a stamp sealing said opening end portion, a strip having a fixed end portion and a free end portion. said free end portion of the strip passing beneath the package sealing stamp to extend beyond the edge thereof, an outer wrapper enclosing said package and strip with a single continuous portion of the wrapper passing over and completely covering the entire surface of the sealed opening end portion 01' sa d package, said portion of the wrapper adjacent the extremity of the free end portion oi the strip being slit to define manipulating means movable to expose the free end portion of the strip whereby the latter may be rasped and pulled to rip the wrapper and simultaneously tear the stamp, and means associated with said slit portion of the wrapper to form a seal surrounding the slit and thus isolate the same for preventing moisture from penetrating into the wrapped package.

BERNARD J. TAMARIN. 

